If two objects have the same type of charge, they will do what?

• A. Attract
• B. Repel
• C. Neutralize
• D. Polarize

Answer: (B)

Like charges push away from each other. When two objects carry the same type of charge (both positive or both negative), the electric forces they exert on one another are repulsive, causing them to move apart. This is described by Coulomb’s law: the force is proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. The sign of the product matters—same signs give a positive, repulsive force, while opposite signs would give an attractive force. So two objects with the same charge repel each other.